


Residencies

by just_another_classic



Series: Finding Neverland [3]
Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Angst and Humor, F/M, Implied Relationships, Mother-Daughter Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-20
Updated: 2018-03-20
Packaged: 2019-04-05 06:09:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,724
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14037867
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/just_another_classic/pseuds/just_another_classic
Summary: “Can I ask you something about you and Dad? Like, did Dad really, really give up the Jolly for you?”Emma gives her and Killian's daughter relationship advice.





	Residencies

**Author's Note:**

> So...this is technically a prequel to the Finding Neverland MC that I am writing. You don't need to read FN to get what's going on. In fact, that story doesn't even affect this one. What you do need to know is that this story ignores most of Season 7, as I started writing the series before 6 ended. As it stands, some characters may be borrowed from s7, but overall there's not major effect. Enjoy!

There are few places prettier than New York City during the Fall, Emma thinks as she wanders through Central Park, admiring the color palette of reds, oranges, and browns that comprise the most popular green ( _ usually _ ) space in the city. She has many fond memories of bringing Henry here years ago, how they would go off-path and pretend they were adventuring in some faraway land, a subconscious cry for their missing loved ones. But they all found one another again,and Emma and Henry would occasionally find themselves magicked away -- by choice or not -- to those same faraway lands they’d imagined while cursed. 

Years later, and now accompanied by her daughter, Emma isn’t pretending to be a warrior princess in search of dragons to slay. They’ve both had enough of that in their own lifetimes, a slight regret of Emma’s. As much as she wanted to, she and Killian had been unable to completely ensconce her youngest away from the horrors of villains and the anxieties of forcefully being ripped into a new land. But those times have hopefully passed, and now they’re enjoying the crisp fall air and the happiness of being once again reunited after months of separation.

The trip to New York City had been an early birthday present, the plane tickets a gift purchased with one of the first few post-degree paychecks Juliet had earned as a gallery consultant.  _ “No arguments,” _ Juliet had insisted as she pressed the envelope into Emma’s hands, “ _ you and Dad deserve a weekend away, and besides, I’d really, really love it if you came.”  _ Both Emma and Killian had insisted on paying for the hotel. As much as they appreciated their daughter’s gift, and were proud of her accomplishments, they in no way desired for her to spend all of her hard-earned paychecks on them.  _ “I’m just paying you back for the whole ‘raising me’ thing,” _ Juliet had argued at the time, to which Killian had replied,   _ “We’re your parents, Cygnet, all you have to do to pay us back is to continue being you.” _

Now in New York, in her daughter’s own element, Emma revels in seeing the young woman she’s become. Even at this moment, dressed down in jeans and a coat, she carries herself with almost a regal confidence, fitting for a princess. (Emma can just imagine her saying,  _ “But I am a princess, Mom”  _ just like she used to do when she was younger.) Idly, her daughter’s confidence, sense of self, and open demeanor leads Emma to wonder if this is how she would have turned out had she actually be raised a princess, absolutely refusing to believe the twisted Wish World version would have been her true personality.  _ There’s no way I would have been that spineless,  _ she thinks. That life, of course, is nothing Emma longs for. She’s happy with the lot she has now, her home and parents tucked away in Storybrooke, a fulfilling job with Storybrooke’s Sheriff’s Department, an adoring husband, and two spectacular kids. 

It’s everything Emma had dreamed of as a child. 

There’s a saying that a parents job is to give their children a better life than their own, Emma knows it well. It’s why, despite desperately wanting to keep him, Emma had chosen to give Henry up, knowing she could not provide him the life she wanted him to have. It’s why she and Killian spent long nights talkings, whispering under the blanket of darkness, their fears and worries before choosing to attempt to conceive a child of their own. Together.  

By that metric, Emma likes to think she’s succeeded. 

Her children are now both adults, with their own dreams, ambitions, and lives. Henry, much to Emma’s delight, once again lives in Storybrooke with his wife and young daughter, teaching at the high school and writing on the side. Emma had been worried, years ago, when he had dropped out of college and announced that he wanted to go on his own adventure and learn more about being the Author. Both she and Regina had wrung their hands over it, knowing ultimately there was nothing they could do to stop or convince him otherwise. So he’d gone, and then a few years later returned with a fiesty woman in a ballgown who would eventually become his wife.

Juliet had taken a slightly different path, thriving in the more mundane normalcy of the Land Without Magic. Juliet had been, and continues to this day, to be more extroverted than her olderr brother. Whereas the Charming lineage seemed to weigh on Henry in his younger years, Juliet had embraced. Though she succeeded in her classes -- both Emma and Killian had stressed the importance of an education -- Juliet’s would, to this day, describe her position in the high school caste system as “the likely villain of a John Hughes movie”. During that period, Emma, who hadn’t even blipped on the radar of the school population, had been bewildered by the turn of events and the differences in her and her child’s life, even more when the fat envelope from Columbia University had arrived in the mailbox, promising acceptance and a gateway to the future. 

Once upon a time, Emma had worried about her parenting skills in relation to Juliet. Not that the concern ever fully goes away, but it would haunt her especially throughout her daughter's youth. She’s been afraid with Henry, of course, unsure of how to navigate being a mother to the boy she’d given away.  With Juliet, her fears had been different, molded not just by the years of fighting villains and traveling to different lands, but also by the relative gulf in experience she would have her daughter.   
  
There’s no denying that the life of her daughter is far, far different than the one Emma had known. At seventeen, Emma had been in a prison in Phoenix, nursing a broken heart and a rapidly growing belly, ignoring the pain in her chest every time she considered just what she ought do with the baby growing inside her. Popularity didn’t matter, college hadn’t crossed her mind -- at that point, she hadn’t even completed her GED -- and New York City felt as far away as the moon. 

But she’d managed. Oh, Emma and Juliet had experienced their fights, but over the expected sort of things -- curfews, underaged drinking, and chores. What mattered was when they hadn’t been fighting, when it was Emma who’d Juliet would turn to for assistance or advice, be it from boys to her burgeoning magic. It had been Emma who Juliet had come to, curling together under the overlarge afghan on the couch and whispering her fears and anxieties, seeking the assurances only a mother could provide.

Therefore, It is not surprise then when Juliet turns the conversation away from the one they’d been having -- debating the merits of window versus aisle seats on planes -- to relationships. 

“Can I ask you something about you and Dad?” Juliet stuffs her hands into her jacket pockets, not waiting for Emma to answer before continuing on, “Like, did Dad really, really give up the  _ Jolly _ for you?”

“Yeah, he really did. What’s got you thinking about that?” Of the stories surrounding her and Killian’s romance, that had never been one Juliet had latched onto -- beanstalks, yes, a year of separation, no -- likely because the sacrifice had been temporary, not that Killian had known that at the time.

“I dunno, I was just thinking about it, and wow, that’s a lot. I mean, I know you two are True Loves and everything, but Dad really loves his ship. He once told me it was home, or used to be,” Juliet says, her words picking up speed as her statements veer from explanation to rambling, “and that’s a lot of give up for someone.”

Had it not been for Juliet’s panicked expression when Killian had clapped her boyfriend on the back, suggesting the two go off on their own to give their women “much needed mother/daughter time”, Emma might have thought that her daughter and husband had conspired together for this moment alone. It would not be the first time either had done such a thing, but as it stands, Emma believes this is more the case of Juliet seizing a moment together to help unload or work through her own relationship dynamics using hers and Killian’s as a springboard.

For the past year, Juliet has been dating Gideon Gold, something that came about somehow as both a complete surprise while also being totally expected. Though they had shown no interest in one another while living in Storybrooke -- a three year age different coupled with adolescent social consciousness will do that -- they had reunited shortly after Juliet had moved New York and became something resembling friends. When Juliet had first mentioned spending time with Gideon years earlier, Emma had initially wondered if something might develop there, but after Gideon split with his then-girlfriend and Juliet had paired up with someone, she dismissed thought.

It wasn’t until Juliet’s final year of school did Emma once again begin to grow suspicious. Gideon had begun appearing in more and more of her daughter’s photos and months went by without her mentioning seeing anyone else. Juliet had never stayed single for long, much to the chagrin of her father and grandfather, and Emma had doubted had she was staying publicly unattached as a form of soul searching. When she had told Killian that, he had balked at the idea, but come Christmas, when Gideon had slid next to Juliet in a booth at Granny’s and pressed a kiss to her temple, Emma had been proven right.

Emma had never seen Killian turn so white.

Or their daughter look so pleased.

And Juliet has continued to look pleased, as far as Emma can tell. As far as Snow White can tell, as well, but Emma’s mother has always gushed over Juliet and her boyfriends, likely reliving all the moments she missed with Emma and could do with Neal onto her granddaughter. More telling to Emma, however, is the grudging respect both Killian and David have since shown toward Gideon. Not that ever not liked him, but the dynamic certainly had changed when he transitioned from “Gideon Gold, Son of our Rumplestiltskin and Our Friend Belle” to “Gideon Gold, Boyfriend of Juliet.” Emma’s sure that whatever plan Killian has concocted with her daughter’s boyfriend is far from threatening. Of course, should things go south with Juliet and Gideon, Emma’s sure that things might turn threatening.

Not that she expects that to happen.

Since starting a relationship with Gideon, Emma has noticed a certain contentment in her daughter that hadn’t been present with previous boyfriends. Perhaps it can be attributed to her growing older, or the fact that she doesn’t need to keep secrets about fairy tale characters. Regardless, Juliet seems happy. Even now, when Emma knows daughter desires to talk about relationships, she knows stormy waters aren’t ahead. Call it mother’s intuition. 

Her intuition also tells her that this is more of a “sit down” discussion, the kind that were one spent in Juliet’s bedroom or in the living room with any form of chocolate. Instead, she settles in leading Juliet to the nearest park bench and asks, “What’s really got you thinking about your dad giving up his ship for me? And no ‘I don’t knows’ this time.”

There’s a small part of her that’s afraid of what the answer might be, if Gideon might be asking too much of her, or if Juliet feels compelled in her own way to make a grand sacrifice. Though Juliet’s an adult in her own right, she’s still in the earlier half of her twenties. There’s still plenty of time for her to grow and change, plenty of time to make mistakes.  

At this point in her life, Emma can identify where the trauma of everything up until the night she turned twenty-eight has influenced the way she parents her children. She’d forced both to sit through comprehensive sexual education, discussing the different forms of birth control and their effectiveness. She hadn’t stressed absinstince, knew at their age it was better to have them be safe than ignorant. She’d been the one to take Juliet to get on the pill, much to Emma’s own mother’s chagrin. ( _ “She’s too young.” “So was I, and I still had a baby.” _ ) That, of course, had been more innocent. Understandable, even. But there were also the times that Emma had insisted that Juliet have a car when she started college -- not the newest model by any means, but still a car -- just so she could have a way to escape should need be. 

Because of that, it’s in situations like these where Emma mentally forces herself to take a step back and listen to her daughter. Because though Juliet is young in the grand scheme of things, she’s her own person. She won’t be left alone and in prison, pregnant with no one to call. She won’t necessarily offer to throw her own life away for a boy, like Emma had nearly done.

Juliet seems to read her mind, or rather, has been well-trained over the years, and says, “It’s nothing to worry about, nothing bad. Honestly, it’s probably really stupid--”

“Your feelings aren’t stupid.”

“--and maybe I’m freaking out over nothing. Or not freaking out over nothing. It’s just a lot to think about, and…” Juliet sighs and rakes her fingers through her hair, an act that is so utterly Killian that it makes Emma bite down a smile. “Ugh, I’m probably overreacting.”

“I bet you’re not,” Emma soothes. “But I can’t tell you either way if you don’t tell me what you think you’re overreacting to.”

“Gid’s giving up Storybrooke for me.”

Emma pauses, waiting for her daughter’s explanation, knowing there’s more to it than just that. (Even if her own breath catches at Juliet’s terminology.) Although Juliet’s speaking in hyperbole -- she takes after her father in her personal flair for the dramatic -- no mother wants hear their child discussing “giving up home”, no matter what that means. 

Both she and Killian had accepted -- or been forced to accept -- some time ago that Juliet likely wouldn’t be moving back to Storybrooke in the near future.  _ “There’s no future for me here. At least, in terms of a career,”  _ Juliet had explained nearly a year ago after she’d grown tired of hedging inquiries about her plans once she finished her degree. So when she announced that she’d line up a job in the city, nobody was surprised, though Killian did quip, more than once, that New York had absconded away with his favorite women now  _ twice _ .  

“So are you going to say anything to that? My boyfriend is giving up his life’s dream for me.”

Emma raises a brow. “His life’s dream?”

“Um. Yeah,” Juliet replies, her voice dripping with the  _ “well, duh” _ tone that she’d so expertly honed in high school. “He’s not going to even apply for residency for Storybrooke. It’s like a guaranteed spot, and he said he had wanted to open a practice there eventually and prove to everyone he wasn’t a villainous asshole like literally everyone else on his dad’s side of the family, but...he’s not going to do that.  _ Because of me _ .”

“Ah.” Emma takes in the anguish in her daughter’s expression. For a brief moment, she’s thankful that Juliet’s dilemma is almost something normal -- a young couple trying to decide the delicate balance between relationship and personal aspirations. Better that than curses or poisoned hearts or one half turning inexplicably evil. Then again, those come with an obvious fix -- True Love’s Kiss, a potion, stopping a villain -- this requires more nuance. “Did you ask him to?”

“No! I couldn’t ask him to do that. He’s always wanted to be a doctor.”

“It doesn’t sound like he’s giving up being a doctor for you. It sounds like he’s giving up being a doctor in Storybrooke for you.”

“Yeah, but I didn’t ask him to do that. He just...decided.” Juliet tilts her head down to her lap and crosses her fingers. 

“Did you want him to?”

“I don’t know. I know it makes me the absolute worst girlfriend in existence, but I was hoping that he’d just choose not to go. It’s not like Storybrooke Gen is in any residency match program, anyway. It’s just...Whale basically has an open spot for him just waiting. And he’s not going to even do the cursory application. ‘There’s no point’, he says, because I don’t want to move back. And...and...” 

“It’s a lot,” Emma finishes for her. Perhaps there’s more of herself in Juliet after all. “And for what it’s worth, as someone who once turned their boyfriend into a Dark One against his will, you have a long way to go before you win any worst girlfriend awards.” 

Juliet rolls her eyes. “You were trying to save his life, and besides, you’re magical fairytale True Loves. We’re just...us.”

“Trust me, there were times when it came to mine and your father’s relationship where I wished for less of the fairytale life.” Memories from the Underworld flash through her mind, and Emma does her best to not shudder. “But whether or not you and Gideon consider yourselves a fairytale romance doesn’t change how you feel about the situation.”

It’s something Emma’s noticed over the years -- Juliet’s emphasis on the idea of fairytale love stories. Juliet had grown up surrounding by stories of True Love and triumph, and some of that had clearly internalized. Emma regrets not doing more to dissuade her youngest from these ideations, wondering just what she could have said during Juliet’s teenage years to put her off her path. She supposes there are worse things a child could do other than idealize their parents relationship, but Emma also desires for Juliet to forge her own path. Then again, using herself and Killian as a frame of reference might be the best thing in this situation. 

“It’s perfectly normal to be freaking out, you know,” Emma assures after a long silence from Juliet. “You asked me how I felt when your dad gave up his ship for me, and yeah, it freaked me out. But it also showed to me that he cared a whole lot, which was what I needed at the time. To be honest, I was more afraid of what it meant to say ‘I love you’ and move in together, steps that didn’t make you blink. We all worry about different things.”

Juliet lets out a feeble laugh. “Please, there was only, like, a year between you and Dad going on your first date and getting married. You totally rushed to the altar. I’m surprised half the town wasn’t convinced you were pregnant.”

“Trust me, with everything that happened, that year felt more like three crammed into one.” Emma replies despite her daughter’s dubious expression. “What I’m trying to say is that you’ve already tackled the things I was afraid to do, which is impressive. But where you end up and big sacrifices are still scary, and it’s okay to be freaked out by it. You just have to identify where your true feelings begin and your nerves end.”

“It’s just, ugh, what if he ends up resenting me for it? What if he ends up here or in Boston or Atlanta and realizes that hey, maybe Storybrooke was better for him and he gave it all up for me?” Emma can hear the unstated,  _ What if I’m not enough? _ , remembers thinking the same thing when it came to her pirate placing down roots, landlocked in a cursed town and never knowing when (if?) they’d be able to once again cross the town line. 

But there’s something niggling in the back of Emma’s mind, her own traumas mixing with her anxieties as a part that has her pulling away from that line of thought, and turning it back to Juliet, “Would you end up resenting him if you had to move to Boston or Atlanta or wherever he ends up? You’ve spent a lot of time talking about his career aspirations, but not yours.”

“Oh my god, you are being such a mom right now.”

“Good thing I am a mom then.” Emma pokes at her shoulder. “It’s my job to ask.”

“I’m not going to throw my own life away for him, if that’s what your asking. It’s why I wanted him to make his top choices a major metropolitan-slash-cultural center,” Juliet huffs. “Do I want to stay in New York? I’d prefer it, yeah. I like my job, and I’m good at it. But Boston has museums and galleries, and Atlanta does too.” Her eyes narrow. “Wait, are you trying reverse-psychology me into seeing that him not wanting to do his residency in Storybrooke is basically the same thing as me being willing to leave New York for him?”

“No, actually, I was coming from a clearly concerned mother perspective.” Emma raises her hands in mock defense.  “But, it’s not an awful conclusion arrive at.”

  
“Sure,” Juliet replies, despite looking unconvinced. “So, basically, I am overthinking this.”

“I absolutely did not say that, and I don’t think it either. Relationships can be scary and overwhelming, especially when you love someone, and especially when you think you could get hurt. It’s self-preservation, and if anyone knows that, it’s me,” Emma assures her. “But, if you want to know what I think, it’s that I’m not going to be the person to make you feel better. I’ll always be here if you need me, but this is a conversation that you should be having with Gideon.”

“I know, I know. Communication is paramount to a healthy relationships.” Juliet says. “But it’s easier said than done.”

“I know, sweetheart.” Emma reaches out and runs a hand through her daughter’s hair. “If it makes you feel better, it took your father and I quite awhile to learn how to effectively communicate, and we still mess it up every now and then. Same with your grandparents.”

Juliet’s brows rise high. “Uh-oh. What’s going on with them?”

“Let’s just say that when you come home for Thanksgiving, try not to make any mention of chickens to your grandmother, okay?”

“Noted,” Juliet replies. She scratches at her hair -- another Killian move -- as she says, “We’re normally pretty good at communication. Gid and I, I mean.”

“I know, baby, but that doesn’t mean big things can’t occasionally throw you for a loop.”

“Yeah, I guess,” she agrees, though it’s a reluctant thing. “And I meant what I said about not sacrificing my own dreams and future and stuff. Like, my unwillingness to sacrifice all of that is why Gid doesn’t want to be in Storybrooke anymore. Because I’m now apart of his dream or something.” She blushes at that. “And, I dunno, I’ve thought about maybe going back to school to get my PhD. There are some pretty great programs in the cities where he’s applying. I’m not sold on the idea yet, because more school sounds a little bit like hell, but Dr. Jones has a nice ring to it, right?”

“As long as you don’t get a dog and name it Indiana, it has a perfect ring.”

“I’ll have you know that I can totally pull off the leather jacket and fedora, thank you very much,” Juliet teases, and for the first time since their conversation began, Emma can see a genuine smile peeking out.”Who knows? Maybe I’m the real Indiana Jones. The stories have gotten more things wrong.”

“Maybe,” Emma agrees with a laugh. Certainly, her own Captain Hook is a far cry from the permed pirate of the Disney films. Devilishly handsome, charming, and a great husband and father, characteristics she never would have attributed to Killian’s fictional counterpart. “But there’s more to Indy than just a fedora.”

“Yeah, he’s hot, smart, and badass, and I’m smart, hot, and badass. I’ve got the trifecta of awesome.” 

“Literally no one will ever doubt that you are your father’s daughter,” Emma says with a smile. At least she never had to worry about her daughter having negative self worth. Relationship worries aside, Juliet has always had a healthy --  _ too _ healthy, some might say -- ego. 

“I’m taking that as a compliment, just so you know.”

“You should.”

“So what do you think he and Gid are doing right now? Having some heart-to-heart? Because I know they had one shortly after we went public, and neither of them will tell me anything about it, which is rude since they were clearly discussing me.” She kicks out her feet when she talks, a habit she picked up in her youth and never stopped. 

“Unfortunately, I have no idea what your father has planned for your boyfriend.” Which is the truth. Though, Emma doubts it’s anything awful. At worst, Killian would be putting Gideon through his paces in learning how to play pool or poker. As much as he hates seeing his little girl grow up -- David calls it karma -- he’s been welcoming to Gideon. He hasn’t stabbed him in the back, literally or figuratively. “And I’m sure you’ll come up, but look at it this way, at least you dad and boyfriend get along. That’s a good thing.”

“ _ Fuck _ .”

“Language,” Emma says out of habit, overriding any confusion. 

“They’re going to kill me.”

“Who?”

“Gid’s parents. If Gid actually bails on the Storybrooke dream, I’m going to forever be the dirty whore who took their little boy away.” Juliet’s face goes white, and Emma does her best to bite back a laugh. She doesn’t hide it well, because the next thing Juliet says is, “What? It’s not funny!”

“I’m really not trying to invalidate your fears, but this is where I’m going to step in an say you’re overreacting right now.” Emma places her hand on her daughter’s shoulder. “Belle, for one, would never call you, or anyone for that matter, a ‘dirty whore’. And even if she was bitter -- which I assure you, she won’t be -- she is literally the most forgiving person I know. As for Mr. Gold, he also appears to be quite fond of you.”

“Only because he knows it gets a rise out of dad. Gid thinks so, too.”

_ Well, they’re probably not entirely wrong there, _ Emma thinks. Knowing any confirmation would likely send her daughter into a tizzy, she says, “Even so, he also sees the way Gideon looks at you. He loves his son and wants him to be happy. I’m going to guess means more than getting back at your father.”

“But what if this ignites the feud and makes it worse? We’re dealing with centuries of tension and murder attempts here. What if we’re on the precipice of disaster, and mine and Gid’s relationship makes it worse?”

“I promise you, this won’t make it worse,” Emma assures her. Now, if Gideon and Juliet ever do break up, that might do it, but she’s not going to say that. Besides, she likes to think Killian and Gold have mellowed out over the years. And speaking of mellowing, Juliet could use a bit of it. “How about we take this conversation to a cafe and get some hot chocolate?”

It always did make Juliet feel better -- something she definitely inherited from Emma. She’s not entirely Killian, after all. 

“I know this really great place near our place that has some killer hot chocolate and some the best pastries ever,” Juliet comments. “We could hit it up, and maybe ask Dad and Gid to meet us there, maybe?”

“Sounds like a plan.”

After they stand, Juliet pulls Emma into a tight hug. “Thanks, Mom, for listening.”

Emma squeezes back tighter, knowing moments like these are becoming more rare. “Anytime. I’m always here for you.”

“I know.” 

They loop their arms together as they walk under the canopy of golden leaves. Despite her daughter’s anxious state, Emma finds herself grateful for moments like these where she can offer advice for whatever obstacles Juliet might face because it means they’re both here and both growing and learning. 

In short, it’s everything she could hope for.

(Although maybe she can deal with less freaking out.)

**Author's Note:**

> So what happens to Juliet and Gideon? Find out in Finding Neverland!


End file.
